Engine attachment



April 12, 1938. E. B. SHARRARD 2,114,240

ENGINE ATTACHMENT Filed Oct. 4, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor .4 iiorneys 7 April 12, 1938.

E. B. SHARRARD ENGINE ATTACHMENT Filed Oct. 4, 1937 2 Sh'eetsSheet 2 Attorneys Patented Apr. 12, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIEE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to an attachment for internal combustion engines and has for its primary object to provide for the formation of a vacuum within the crank case for holding the oil in the case from passing upwardly past the piston rings, gaskets, etc., and also for conducting the fumes from the crank case of the engine to the intake manifold and the invention together with its objects and advantages will be best understood from a study of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:-

Figure 1 is a view illustrating the application of the invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the device.

Figure 3 is a sectional View through the device per se.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Figure 3 with the threaded cap thereof removed.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the valve member and Figure 6 is a fragmentary detail sectional view illustrating a replacement of plate assembly to be hereinafter more fully referred to.

Referring to the drawings by reference numerals it will be seen that in accordance with the present invention the usual breather pipe of the internal combustion engine is dispensed with and substituted therefor is a breather pipe 5 having an end 6' which fits snugly within the opening I provided in the wall of the crank case 8 as is conventional.

At the upper end thereof the breather pipe 5 is formed to present a socket or boxing 9 and a stop shoulder ID at the bottom of the boxing 9. For the boxing 9 there is provided a cap I I in which fits a gasket I2 that rests on the upper edge of the wall of boxing 9.

For the breather pipe 5 there is provided a cap assembly indicated generally by the reference numeral I3.

The cap assembly, as best shown in Figure 3, comprises a tubular portion I4 that fits snugly within the boxing 9 and at its lower edge rests on the shoulder I9. At the lower end thereof the tubular member I4 is provided with a screen I5. In this connection 'it will be noted that the cap I l for the boxing 9 is welded or otherwise secured to the periphery of the cylinder I4 so as to seat on the upper end of the wall of the boxing when the lower end of the tube I4 is seated on the shoulder At the upper end thereof the tubular member I4 is provided with a diametrically enlarged valve casing or housing I6, and the upper end of the member I4 projects inwardly beyond the bottom I! of the valve casing I6 to support a valve seat I9.

Adapted to engage the underside of the seat l8 and opening inwardly of the tube I4 is a disk valve I9 equipped with a stem 20.

Engaging the top side of the valve seat I8 is a bar 2| that is suitably apertured to accommodate the valve stem 20. On the upper end of the valve stem 29 is a nut 22 against which impinges one end of a coil spring 23 disposed about the stem 29. The lower end of the spring 23 bears upon the bar 2! and spring 23 thus acts to normally engage the valve disk I9 with seat I8.

Arranged within the casing I6 is a valve cage 24 that consists of a pair of substantially U- shaped spring members which at the closed ends of the Us are crossed and riveted or otherwise secured together as at 25, the legs of the U members forming the cage 24 resting on the bottom I! of the casing I6 as clearly shown in Figure 3.

For the valve casing Hi there is provided a cap 25 which threads onto the casing as shown in Figure 3 and in the crown thereof the cap 26 is provided with an opening 21 across which is disposed a screen 28.

Tapped into the wall of the cylinder I4 adjacent the upper end of the latter is a valve casing 29in which is threaded a needle valve 30 that controls communication between passage 3| of the valve casing 29 that opens into the cylinder I4 and a passage 32 formed in the branch 33 of the casing.

Connected with the branch 33 of the casing as at 34 is a pipe 35 which at its other end is suitably connected with the intake manifold (not shown) of the internal combustion engine. Needle valve 30 will thus regulate the amount of vacuum to be utilized in drawing the fumes from the crank case through the breather pipe 5, member I4, passages 3|, 32 and conduit 35 into the intake manifold of the internal combustion engine.

When the vacuum becomes excessive, valve I4, against the action of spring 23, will move downwardly off of its seat I8 so that air from the atmosphere will then be drawn through the screened opening 2'! past the valve seat I8 to mix with the fumes being drawn from the crank case, r

and thereby pass with the fumes through the valve 29 and the conduit 39 to the intake manifold of the internal combustion engine. As the vacuum decreases valve I9 will move into engagement with its seat I8.

Manifestly tension of the spring 23 may be adjusted by adjusting the nut 22 on the stem 20 of valve l9.

As is well known some types of internal combustion engines are provided in the engine block thereof with a ventilator passage that at its inner end opens into the crank case and. at its outer end opens into the engine block where it is connected to an oil outlet ventilator tube. When using my invention with such type of internal combustion engine I provide, as shown in Figure 6 wherein a portion of the engine block is illustrated and designated by the reference numeral 36 while the passage therethrough is indicated by the reference numeral 36, and the opening for the passage to which the ventilator tube is connected is indicated by the reference numeral 36a, a closure plate 3'! to be substituted for the aforementioned oil outlet ventilator tube. This plate 31 is secured in closing position relative to the opening 36a through the medium of a cap screw 38 which threads into the engine block 36, passing through an opening in the plate 31. Interposed between the plate 31 and the engine block 36 is a copper gasket ring 39. Interposed between the plate 37 and the head of the cap screw 38 is a cop-per gasket ring 40. The purpose of so closing off the passage 36' in this manner is to insure the creation of the desired vacuum within the crank case when my invention is associated with the breather pipe of such types of engines as just above referred to.

It is thought that a clear understanding of the construction, utility, operation and advantages of an invention of this character will be had without a more detailed description.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. In an attachment for internal combustion engines, a breather pipe for the crank case of such engine, said breather pipe having an upper end presenting a diametrically enlarged boxing, a tubular member having a snug fit within said boxing, said tubular member being provided with a valve case at the upper end of the tubular member, a valve seat at the junction of said tubular member and valve case, a spring press-ed valve opening inwardly of said tubular member and normally yieldably engaging said seat, and a vacuum regulating valve including a casing having a part tapped into said tubular member and a branch adapted to be connected by tubing with the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine.

2. In an attachment for internal combustion engines, a breather pipe for the crank case of such engine, said breather pipe having an upper end presenting a diametrically enlarged boxing, a tubular member having a snug fit within said boxing, said tubular member being provided with a valve case at the upper end of the tubular member, a valve seat at the junction of said tubular member and valve case, a spring pressed valve opening inwardly of said tubular member and normally yieldably engaging said seat, and a vacuum regulating valve including a casing having a part tapped into said tubular member and a branch adapted to be connected by tubing with the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, said tubular member at the lower end thereof having a screen disposed across said end, and a cap for said valve casing provided in the crown thereof with a screened opening.

3. In an internal combustion engine, a breather pipe having a boxing formed at one end thereof, a tubular member having a snug fit within said boxing, an inwardly opening spring pressed valve at the upper end of said tubular member, and a regulating valve including a casing having an end portion extending into said tubular member through the peripheral wall of said member and a lateral branch adapted to be connected by piping with the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, said end of said casing and said branch being bored to provide a substani tially L-shaped passage, and a needle valve threadedly engaged Within said valve casing for controlling said passage at the angle between the branches of the L-shaped passage.

ELWYN B. SHARRARD. 

